Medicinal plants of sacred groves in Kanyakumari district Southern Western Ghats

Abstract

An attempt has been made to identify folklore medicinally important plants frequently used by rural communities of sacred groves and it environs of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. A total of 34 medicinal plants from 33 genera under 29 families were enumerated. Most of the plants are used for curing earache, skin diseases, fever, cold, headache, cough, urinary disorder, ulcer, etc. Of 29 families, 26 families were nonspecific. Plants of Rutaceae was largely represented (4 species), followed by Euphorbiaceae and Sapindaceae.